Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a sequel to the anime feature film Batman Ninja, which was released in 2018. I really enjoyed Batman Ninja and its unique art style created by some of Japan’s finest artists. It added a unique flavour to the viewing experience and with the film taking place in feudal Japan it makes to have an art style that personifies it. While I did want to watch Batman Ninja in Japanese with English subtitles, the copy I rented only had English and French as languages, even though it advertised Japanese and English. So with that I was left to the English translation, which apparently was rewritten by Leo Chu and Eric Garcia for western audiences. One day I’ll pick up the Blu-ray and compare them, but for now I only have the English translation to go off of so I’ll judge both from that.
Yes, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League had the Japanese option on the 4K release but I thought it best to stick with English once again with the thought that the stories from the first film may have been altered slightly and if I was going to review it properly I should keep them in line. With that said Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League is a fun departure from Batman Ninja, with almost everything about them differing. The original takes place in the past and this sequel takes place in the present with the realization that something the Bat Family did in the previous film has caused Japan to disappear off the map and now a giant island called “Hinomoto” has appeared in the sky above Gotham City – except only Batman and those who travelled to the past with him can see it.
To make matters worse, Yakuza have begun to literally fall from the sky. Commissioner Gordon explains to Batman that this is an every day occurrence, but that’s because this Bat Family that traveled to feudal Japan has seemingly taken the place of the Bat Family who is used to fighting falling Yakuza daily. I’ll admit while writing this that it all sounds incredibly complicated, but believe me when I say it’s not. There’s enough to take in that you’ll have to pay attention, but trying to write this in a way that wets your appetite while not flat out explaining the entire story may make it sound a bit more confusing than it is.
Batman and Robin (Damian Wayne) fly into Hinomoto to try and figure out what’s going on, and it’s here that they find themselves in somewhat of an alternate reality. Again, confusing, but Batman tells Robin that they’re not in a multi-verse situation, however, this is an alternate Japan where multiple Yakuza factions are battling it out for control, with the biggest family having the Yakuza League on its side. The Yakuza League consists of Bari, The Fleetfoot (aka The Flash), Ahsa, the Aqua Dragon (aka Aquaman), Zeshika, the Emerald Ray (aka Jessica Cruz/Green Lantern) and the big bad of them all, Kuraku, The Man of Steel (aka Superman.)
Luckily, Batman isn’t alone in taking these baddies on as he has Daiana Amazone, the Eagle Goddess (aka Wonder Woman) on his side. We’ve also got Harley Quinn poking her head around things, while also swooning over Daiana, as well as a few other surprise appearances. The characters in this film are incredibly fun and really well thought out in both their art design and beliefs. The interaction between the Bat Family and the Yakuza League are often full of laughs, action, or a mix of both.
The pacing of this film is a lot quicker than the first film. I didn’t mind the pacing in Batman Ninja, however, it was a different type of story told in a different type of time. In fact, if you didn’t like Batman Ninja I’d still recommend watching Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League, as I feel the two are very different in the way their stories are told, even though both are written by Kazuki Nakashima. Well, let me rephrase, as Batman Ninja was rewritten for western audiences, Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League was written solely by Nakashima, which works out well for everyone. I also don’t think you need to have seen Batman Ninja to enjoy this sequel, as the time travel aspect does cause this whole “floating Japan” incident, it’s also explained pretty well in terms of what’s happening in case you’re using this film as a jumping on point. I’d recommend watching both, but it’s not necessary.
The action in this film is also a lot more in line with what DC fans may be used to. We’ve got a more futuristic and brighter Japan that sees members of the Bat Family squaring off against members of the Yakuza League in ways that show the strengths and weaknesses of both. The original film had a lot more of a Japanese vibe in terms of giant robots battling it out in feudal Japan, kind of giving off Power Ranger vibes at times. Again, these are supposed to be fun films and they are, so there’s a lot I can overlook and understand that it’s meant to showcase a different type of storytelling – and both succeed in doing so in their own ways.
The English voice acting is really strong in Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League – except for Batman, who is voiced by Joe Daniels this time around. I’m not sure why the English voice actors for Batman changed, but it feels like it takes Daniels some time to get comfortable in the role, as there’s no real emotion in the delivery early on. I get that it’s Batman, but some of the earlier lines are read as though they’re being read off the script without attempting to add any nuance outside of a gruff voice. I will say that it does improve after a little bit, so if you find yourself having a hard time early on just know that Daniels does find his stride in the role and has some fantastic exchanges later on in the movie, especially when up against Kuraku. Everyone else across the board nails it right from the start, so as a whole this ends up just being a really entertaining viewing experience.
For those looking for an entertaining 90-minute Batman story with an awesome anime art style, plenty of witty dialogue, and loads of top tier animated action sequences then you need look no further than Batman vs. Yakuza League. With a strong pacing, intriguing story and unique take on beloved characters that still does them all justice to the point where fans of all should be pleased, Batman vs. Yakuza League is a must-watch for DC Animation fans and Batman/Justice League fans across the globe.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review:
Batman vs. Yakuza League looks fantastic in 4K, which some may argue isn’t required when it comes to animation. I’d say that while it may not be required it’s definitely worth having when the option is available, especially when a movie is full of animated styles that truly pop off the screen with the boost 4K allows. Japan is full of bright and neon lights, all of which shine beautifully as our heroes make their way through the city. The colours of the characters and animation look gorgeous, with a mix of 2D and 3D elements merging seamlessly and really letting the anime art styles shine. Add in the darker elements often found in Batman films, which also look deep and dark, with clean shadows and really nice blacks and blues.
On the audio side of things we’ve got a clean dubbing of the film. The Japanese dubbing is lossy Dolby Digital, so you’ll notice it dip in quality slightly if you change it to that. Not enough to take away from the film or experience, but when you swap back to English there’s a noticeable boost which would’ve been nice to have for both options. There’s also a fun Japanese score and soundtrack that adds to the entertainment brought by the action sequences throughout. Overall, no real complaints on the audio front, as the surround sound works nicely, the dialogue is clean and front and center for both options, and the music just adds to the fun.
Special Features:
Bringing the League to Japan – We’ve got a seven-and-a-half-minute featurette here that sees character designer Takashi Okazaki talk about his inspirations and ideas for bringing the Yakuza League to life. It’s a fast watch, but one that fans of the film should definitely watch, as it’s nice to see how small decisions were made to bring these characters to life in a unique way, as well as some concept art throughout!
Anime Action: Choreographicing the Fights – This feature comes in at 9-minutes in length and we get to hear from writer Kazuki Nakashima, who talks about how he wanted to have the Bat Family take on members of the Yakuza League in individual battles that would help showcase everyone involved. Again, it’s a fast watch, but also fun and interesting for the short time it lasts!
Disclaimer: A review copy of this Blu-ray was sent to me to cover in honest and truthful fashion.
Warner Bros. Pictures Presents Batman Ninja vs. Yakuza League. Directed by: Jumpei Mizusaki and Shinji Takagi. Written by: Kazuki Nakashima. Running time: 89 Minutes. Rating: PG-13. Released on 4K Blu-ray: April 15, 2025.
About Brendan Campbell
